RECAP AND LOOKING AHEAD

Penn State football is 7-0 for the first time since 1999. Lets examine how the Nittany Lions have got to this point. It seems as if each game so far this season has had at least some sort of suspense or story line leading up to it. Although the Lions have been clear favorites in every outing, it seems that there was still that, "yeah but" nearly every week. Let's take a look back.

To begin the season, the Nittany Lions hosted FCS Coastal Carolina. (FCS is formerly known as Division 1-AA). Although this turnerd out to be a one-sided massacre, Penn State fans can never be quite certain how their football team will look to start the season. Was Daryll Clark the right choice as starting QB over Downingtown stud Pat Devlin? Could Penn State's defense rebound from several key losses? In the end, the Chanticleers proved to be no Appalacian state and headed back to Myrtle Beach being dealt a 66-10 loss. Joe Pa would tie Bobby Bowden as the most winningest FBS coach with 373 career wins.

Then, in week two, Penn State would be greeted with a very respectable Pac-10 foe. Not only was this any Pac-10 team, but a Beaver team who had won 7 of 9 games going back to last season. How would the Nittany Lions stack up to another powerhouse conference school? Pretty good. Penn State would easily handle the Beavs a 45-13 thumping, thanks to a balanced offensive attack. Evan Royster led the way with 141 yards and 3 TD's, and little guy Jordan Norwood would have a breakout party, registering eight catches for 116 yards with a touchdown.

So then, Penn State would travel away from Happy Valley for the first time of the 2008 campaign. How would they fare? Remember, the Nittany Lions had lost their previous 4 of 6 games on the road. Syracuse proved to be no test as the Lions would outgain the Orange 560-159 yards in a 55-13 sloshing. (Apparently, Cuse wasn't the only one getting sloshed. Days later, the Penn State faithful were seen on YouTube participating in a raucous chugging line).

Week four brought on Temple back in the Valley. This would bring to light the "nearly" referred to above. Another PSU victory, this time, 45-3.


Joe Paterno had repeatedly expressed that he did not know how good his team was because they had yet to face any adversity. In week five, #22 Illinois knocked first. Twelfth-ranked Penn State answered not once, but twice, being down by a touchdown. Derrick Williams recorded a punt return TD, kick return TD, and a TD reception, being the first player in the Joe Pa era to do so. A poised Daryll Clark, now looking like a fifth-year senior starter, once again led a balanced offensive attack. The defense came up big holding an explosive Illini offense to only 10 points in the final three quarters. The Nittany Lions passed their first big test. A 38-24 win on primetime national television. Penn State was 5-0.

The next game just seemed big. Purdue had played some difficult games up to this point, and it would be the first Big Ten road team the Lions would face this season. (Not to mention, the first of 4 out of 5 games on the road. Given the past, that just seemed impossible for the Lions). In the end, Boilermaker quarterback Curtis Painter still couldn't throw a touchdown against the mighty Penn State defense. In four straight meetings the Nittany Lions harassed the senior quarterback relentlessly. Purdue coach Joe Tiller's farewell bash against his long-time friend Joe Paterno left only the Lions to celebrate. Providing a big answer to his critics, Josh Hull led the Penn State defense with 12 solo tackles. Penn State left West Lafayette with a 20-6 victory, and a 6-0 record.

Wisconsin, coming off two straight heartbreaking losses, (games they probably should have won), were in a must-win situation against Penn State. Penn State's defense came up humongous. (Humongous: adj. Slang perhaps a blend of huge and monstrous or tremendous). On 3rd-down and a foot on Wisconsin's opening drive, Navarro Bowman smothered Badger tailback P.J. Hill for a loss. This started a trend that would continue for the rest of the evening. Again, Clark played beautifully, despite throwing a late interception, and D-Wheels ran another punt back for a score, (his fifth return as a Penn Stater) and the Lions would be the only ones 'Jumping Around' at the close of a 48-7 blowout in Madison.

Penn State benefited from three top-five teams losing in Week 7, and now sits as the consensus #3 team in the nation with a 7-0 record. What a great start to the 2008 season for the Nittany Lions. There is still much to accomplish this year, but before we face off against the "Cestpool of the West" this weekend, let us not forget how many highs there have been up to this point in the 2008 season. LET'S GO STATE!